Cavaliers cancel arm slings giveaway during playoffs

Cavaliers cancel arm slings giveaway during playoffs

TOM WITHERS

May. 06, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers canceled a plan to give away 20,000 arm slings to fans to show support for injured starting forward Kevin Love, who is out for the rest of the NBA playoffs.

Love underwent surgery last week after his left shoulder was dislocated when his arm was yanked from the socket by Boston center Kelly Olynyk in Cleveland's series-clinching win in the opening round. The Cavs intended to hand out the slings, adorned with a sponsor's name, during their Eastern Conference semifinal series against Chicago but scrapped the idea.

A team spokesman would not comment on the giveaway. It's not known what the team plans to do with the unused slings.

The Cavs handed out small white towels for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Bulls. The team typically gives out T-shirts during the postseason.

Olynyk will serve a one-game suspension for his actions against Love.

Love has not spoken with reporters since his surgery, and his expected to need up to six months to recover. The two-time All-Star was acquired last summer in a trade from Minnesota. He can opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer, but Love has said he intends to stay with the Cavaliers. Following his surgery, he posted a photo on Instagram of him in his hospital bed wearing a Cleveland Indians cap and a black sling.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is known for the passion he has shown for Cleveland and his team. In 2010, he famously wrote a letter decrying LeBron James for leaving as a free agent to Miami. The two patched up their difference last summer before James announced he was returning home to Ohio.